Effective Advocacy, Communication and Social
MCH for
focused
Mobilisation (ACSM)
Improved Maternal
and MCH
Child
Improved
Effective MCH prevention
ACSM
Health
(MCH) Outcomesoutcomes for health
interventions known and
Informed by a
available in the public health system
health literacy
approach
How?
Outcomes
District consultation meetings:


Establishing fit & developing terms of reference
Establishing task team for co-ordinating MCH
Focused ACSM plans and activities
District
management table
an eight month NHI
district plan for
MCH focused
ACSM
Workshop on MCH focused ACSM
Raising awareness of the global &national
imperatives to address the high levels of
preventable MCH morbidity and mortality

MDG’s & MCH morbidity and mortality
data
Generation of data
to motivate for
ACSM inclusion in
district health plans
and budgets
Sharing information: tools and skills

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CMT CHW Project research outcomes –
demand and accountability challenges and
opportunities
Designing a media cascade
The health literacy approach
Packaging MCH content for ACSM
Hosting community open days

Systematic locally specific
MCH needs assessments and
profiles
What are the MCH priority needs?
What resources exist for ACSM?
What are the challenges and
opportunities?

Meaningful use of these
profiles for targeted ACSM
plans, indicators and activities
in each district
Revisiting planning committees / task
teams for MCH focused ACSM activities

Positive impact on morale of
frontline staff dealing with
MCH needs and staff with
ACSM understanding and skills
problems causing high levels
of morbidity and mortality
This Free State project aimed
to highlight the ACSM
potential, and support districts
to use it to establish low cost
MCH focused ACSM strategies
to address their high levels of
preventable MCH morbidity
and mortality.
Lessons Learned
Key success factors include:
 Key stakeholder understanding

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Planning low cost district specific strategies

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Identifying key drivers

Supporting district based MCH focused
ACSM events

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Local MCH needs assessments
Selecting an ACSM event focus
Event planning – co-ordination with all role
players
Implementation of plans / hosting event
Highlighting of locally specific
MCH data collection, demand
and supply issues that need to
be addressed for improved
outcomes

of ACSM and how to use it
Line manager to access
resources in budget
Buy in from WBOT
Buy in and support of
operational management staff
at facility level
Existing resources (including
ACSM skilled sub-district
Health Promoters) requires
effective utilisation
Stakeholder teamwork
Recommendations



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Raise key stakeholder MCH
and ACSM awareness
Table at district management
quarterly meetings to ensure
inclusion into district health
plans and budgets
Ensure accountability for
response to data gathered
Ensure alignment of all role
players targets to shared
objectives